


Come Snowmelt

by Prompts with Dish (ReminiscentLullaby)



Series: Gabenath Winter Ficlets [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Christmas Special, F/M, Ficlet, Hugs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:53:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28142679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReminiscentLullaby/pseuds/Prompts%20with%20Dish
Summary: After the Christmas party, Gabriel joins Nathalie in watching the snow.
Relationships: Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth/Nathalie Sancoeur
Series: Gabenath Winter Ficlets [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2061672
Comments: 10
Kudos: 38
Collections: GNBCAAC Winter 2020 Prompts





	Come Snowmelt

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: White Christmas

Nathalie stands at the window watching the snowfall after the last of Adrien’s friends leaves that night. Exhausted from the evening’s events, the boy heads almost immediately to bed, but not before Nathalie overhears him exchange words with his father in the atrium in a pair of low-toned voices:

“Merry Christmas, Father.”

“Merry Christmas, Adrien.”

In the silence that precedes the patter of footsteps up the stairwell, her mind builds something to fill up the space: the image of a father and son sharing a comforting (brief) embrace in the absence of the woman they both miss the most. Though she cannot know if such a thing took place, the thought of it warms her heart, tugs her lips into a smile while she faces her dark reflection in the glass, past which the Eve of Christmas elapses into the first hours of the Day. 

And then she flinches, because the door opens to the atelier and in walks Gabriel, looking quite listless, ascot hanging precariously loose around his neck. She faces him and says nothing as he approaches, too focused on the weariness in his movement. 

All he says at first is, “Are you coming?”

“What do you mean?”

“To bed. You must be tired, getting that all together last minute,” he replies. Pale gaze drifting past her to look out onto the front yard, blanketed in snow, he adds, “I should thank you.”

Surprised, Nathalie shakes her head. “No, no need. I’m aware of how...difficult it must have been for you, Sir, to allow such a gathering on a night like this one. I know Adrien must appreciate it.”

He dips his head. Warily, Nathalie watches as he comes to stand at her shoulder. His fatigue must distract him; there’s the appearance of something heavy in his face, as the charcoal clouds above the city. “I’m - I’m happy he got to celebrate. This shouldn’t be a mournful day, and I’m grateful, Nathalie, not just for tonight, but for everything you have been trying to make this easier on him. Lord knows, I haven’t done enough.”

“Gabriel,” she whispers, hand reflexively reaching for his shoulder.

He blinks at her, taken by the utterance of his first name. He does not comment on it. Instead, he sets his fingers over hers and tilts his head towards the hall. “The guest room is made up for you. As I said, you must be tired.”

“I’m fine,” she says, as if it matters. She has no reason to stay up much later, no reason but to hold his gaze as long as he’ll let her, because the way he’s looking at her now - she hasn’t seen that light in his eyes in a long time, this subtle glimmer like a star through the black of night. 

But he does break her gaze. He breaks it because he releases her hand to pull her gently into a hug. 

“Sir -!”

“Merry Christmas, Nathalie. Thank you,” he murmurs, breath warm against the side of her head. Nathalie’s chest flutters as she hugs him back. For the first time in a long time, she feels a brush of hope at the back of her, something she might be foolish enough to wish will overcome them both.

“Merry Christmas, Sir,” she returns, tightening her hold. 

She knows better, though. This bliss will be gone with the snowmelt. For now she gives a solaced sigh and stands in crystallized time. 


End file.
